Morgarath's Brother
by aRangersHorseLovesApples
Summary: Araluen was once again a peaceful kingdom after the death of Morgarath. That is, until the impossible happens. Halt has been captured along with the other rangers. Will and James are the only rangers with enough information to save the rangers from Morgarath. But wait, if Morgarath is dead, then who has the rangers?
1. Chapter 1

**Hi! This is my very first fanfiction ever, so I'm hoping everyone will like it. I'll be really really really happy if I get reviews, and I am definitely open to any and all suggestions. This is just an idea I came up with. I'm not entirely sure where the story will go yet, but I will try and update whenever I get the chance. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Ranger's Apprentice. I just own my ideas and OCs. :) Enjoy :)**

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_A bit of history on the story  
_

_Will was James' best friend. They both grew up in the Redmont Ward where Halt chose Will as his apprentice. Knowing that Halt couldn't take James also, his friend, Daniel, took James as his own apprentice. However, Daniel disappeared a year into James' training, leaving James on his own. Not knowing what else to do, James rode Mika to Redmont to seek Halt's advice. They quickly set out on a search for James' mentor, but the search was in vain. With Crowley's permission, Halt agreed to take James as his apprentice and train him along with Will. Four years later, the two young fully-fledged rangers were as close as brothers, and they were like Halt's sons._

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_Chapter 1  
_

James stood up as he heard unsteady steps near his cabin. No one ever came around his cabin unless they knew him. His reputation as a ranger was impressive, and he was thought to be a powerful black magician. So who was it on his porch? Slipping silently to the side of the door, he waited with saxe knife in hand. To his surprise, whoever was on the other side knocked. James laughed quietly to himself. There was no danger, but it never hurt to be too careful. Slipping the knife back into its leather scabbard, he opened the door and jumped out of the way as a young man stumbled into his cabin.

"Will?" Will stumbled through the open doorway past a very surprised James, and dropped into one of the chairs in James' cabin.

* * *

He was exhausted. Leaning his head on both hands and covering his eyes, he mumbled, "Halt's been captured." He said this so quietly, that James' highly trained ears almost missed it.

"What?" James hissed, "How? Will, what happened?"

"I know!" Will sighed in frustration. "Halt and a group of soldiers were out on a mission escorting the King and Evanlyn back to Araluen. Halt never saw them coming. Abelard wasn't able to warn Halt in time, and they were ambushed by...I don't actually know who, I should find out...anyways they were ambushed. Completely surrounded and outnumbered by crossbow men, the leader threatened to kill the King and his daughter unless Halt surrendered himself. He had no choice, James. Once they had Halt, they let the soldiers and the royals go. That's all I know. What are we going to do?"

"Who else knows?" James' quick mind had begun to form a plan.

Will looked up at his friend who was still standing in the open doorway, "Just me, the King and Evanlyn, and the soldiers from the escort. Why? What's your plan?"

"I'm going after Halt, and you are going to tell Crowley."

"But-"

James held up a hand to stop him. "You are going to meet up with me after you tell him. I'm just going ahead so the trail doesn't get cold. How long has he been gone for?"

"It's been three days. I was in Redmont because I was the replacement while Halt was on his mission. A messenger brought me a letter with the king's seal explaining what had happened. Halt's alive but captured, so the next day I rode the three day journey in two to reach you."

James glanced at the setting sun before finally shutting the door. The rusty hinges squeaked; a habit learned from Halt. "Alright. We will leave in the morning."

"We need to leave now though!" Will stood up and swayed on his feet.

James hurried over to help him, and Will leaned on him gratefully, "You're exhausted, Will. You should leave in the morning."

"But what about Tug?" He asked, already trying to go towards the door.

James pulled him towards his second room, "I'll take care of him. It's okay. You need to rest." A sudden thought occurred to him at the mention of Tug, "Will, what happened to Abelard?"

"He's okay, James. He's with the king and Horace,"

"Horace? Was he with the escort?"

"Mmhm," he nodded.

When they reached James' spare room, he hung up Will's cloak and quiver and laid his weapons by the bedside. Will nodded his thanks, and he was asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow. James smiled slightly at his friend before he left to go help Tug.

* * *

Tug looked just as tired as his master. His head drooped, and everything about him said, _'My master is safe. Can I lie down now?'_

James led him to the stables where his own horse was. Mika, a light brown horse with dark patches, lifted her head and neighed a greeting when her own master approached. Seeing the exhausted Tug, Mika looked back towards her master._ 'What's wrong?'_ James gently put his hand against Mika's nose before taking care of Tug. He brought food and water, removed the saddle, and brushed him down until his coat shown."Everything's alright, Mika. There you go Tug. You can sleep now." Tug neighed his thanks softly to his master's friend.

Once back inside, James prepared for the journey that was lying ahead of them. Of course, he remembered to pack extra coffee.

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**So. there's the first chapter. :) Please please please read and review! I'll try and respond to reviews as best I can, and I'd love suggestions on chapter names. :)  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello! Thank you all so much! I got 6 amazing reviews! :) I'm sorry I took so long to update. But anyways, here's chapter 2. Hope you like it! :)**

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Will woke up right before dawn. He sat up, vaguely wondering where he was. He realized he wasn't in his own cabin back in Seacliff. The memories of the previous night came flooding back to him as he sat up. Halt was gone, and he needed to find Crowley. He needed to leave now.

He stood up a little too quickly, and he swayed as his head throbbed. When Will reached the kitchen, he found a note on top of his packed supplies. He tore open the seal and recognized James' messy hand writing.

_Will, _  
_I am leaving early this morning so I can try to get a head start on trying to track down the ones who captured the rangers. Find Crowley first; then come and find me. When I find out where Halt and the others are, I'll wait for you before continuing on._  
- _James_

Setting the letter down, Will quickly checked to make sure all of his supplies were ready. Satisfied, Will left the familiar cabin to saddle Tug.  
Tug neighed a greeting to his master. He was fully rested and ready for the journey that awaited them. Swinging up into the saddle, Will headed off towards Castle Araluen in search of Crowley.

* * *

James was headed towards the Ranger's Gathering Grounds, because Halt had been taken not far from there. The King did not know where the Gathering Grounds were, so he could only describe the area where he was when they were attacked. However, Will had confirmed the place to James the night before.

A kilometer away from the grounds, James slid down from his horse and kneeled down to study the ground. There were definitely tracks, and they were poorly concealed. James figured there were about seventy-five people in the party, with a third of them on horses. James felt a pang of sorrow for his mentor. He had probably been restrained to one of the horses and forced to walk under torturous conditions for an unbearably long time. Worried for Halt, James swung back up into his saddle and quickened his pace.

He arrived at a glade in the forest around noon. Again keeling to study the tracks, James frowned. The tracks seemed to be too obvious, like they wanted him to find them. James debated whether or not to follow the tracks. _Well,_ he thought,_ if I follow them, there will certainly be the risk of getting captured. But if I don't follow them, I might not find out about Halt. _He decided that he would follow them, but the next question was whether or not he should wait for Will. _No, I can't. I might lose their trail. _James shrugged._ He'll understand, and he can still catch up to me. He knows where to look._

With that thought, James led Mika to a thicker part of the forest where she would be out of view. "Stay." He gave the one word command knowing his horse would listen. Then he added, "Silent." If Mika heard someone or something, ranger horses were trained to freeze and stay silent to avoid being discovered.

James seemed to glide through the forest instinctively, using the shadows and making no sound. No matter how many times he went on missions, he always got nervous. When he reached the grove he stayed back a few meters. He took a deep breath and continued forward.

* * *

Tug's hooves rang on the cobblestones as Will raced towards Castle Araluen. Finally, the castle gates came into view. The two guards posted outside moved out of the way of the racing ranger. If his cloak and small shaggy horse were not enough to prove who he was, the silver oak leaf that hung on a chain around his neck was. Once inside the gates, Will reined in Tug and slid out of the saddle while leading him towards the stables. The relationship between a ranger and his horse was strong. Whatever the matter was, it could wait until after his horse was cared for.

Will quickly climbed the stairs to Crowley's room. "Crowley?" Will knocked on the door.

No Answer.

Will opened the door and slipped silently into the room. The room was dark when he entered, and there were signs that no one had been there for a while. The fire not lit, dust on the normally polished table, the bed perfectly made. Crowley had obviously not been here for some time. _So where is he, then? _Will asked himself. _I need to see Cassandra and the King. Maybe they will know where he is._

He moved quickly towards the throne room, staying in the shadows to avoid being seen. He was just outside the grand doors when he heard his name.

"Will?" He recognized the voice as Gilan.

"Hey Gilan," Will said turning to face him. "Have you seen Crowley?"

"No. Actually, that is why I am here. He doesn't seem to be anywhere in the fief, and no one seems to know where he went."

"Oh. That's not good."

"Why? Will, what's wrong?" Gilan noticed that his friend looked very worried. "Crowley's probably just out on some mission. He'll be back soon."

Will was already shaking his head, "I don't think so, Gil. Halt was captured the other day. Now Crowley's gone too. I think he's been captured like the other missing rangers."

"Oh," Gilan was at a loss for words. Halt and captured in the same sentence? It didn't make sense. And adding Crowley to that really didn't make sense. He simply couldn't grasp the concept.

"Yeah," Will nodded, confirming what he said. He understood that the whole idea was a lot to take in. "We need to go find James. He is tracking the ones who took Halt and the others. So far we are the only ones who know what is happening."

"Do you know where he is?" Even though it was under bad circumstances, Gilan would enjoy seeing James again.

"No, but he was heading towards the Gathering Grounds last time I heard from him."

"That sounds like a good place to start then," Gilan said with a grin.

* * *

James, blending in with the shadows of the tree, peered into the clearing before him. As he scanned the trees on the other side, everything seemed normal, but a strange sixth sense told him that something was not right. He did not understand what his instincts were telling him. There was nothing in the clearing. _Oh. Not in the clearing, _he realized, _but on the other side of the clearing. _He scanned the other side of the tree line, his eyes constantly changing focus from close to far. _There. _A movement deeper in the trees caught his eyes. _No. That's impossible,_ James thought as he caught site of the figure. _It looks like Halt. _James moved closer and confirmed his thoughts. Halt was definitely over there in the trees. But wait. James drew in a sharp breath. Halt was restrained to a fallen log. Gagged and wrists tied, James almost cried seeing his mentor look so defeated.

James crept around the back of the log, staying out of sight. He made Halt jump when he put his hand on his shoulder. James took off the gag. "Halt, what's wrong?" He asked, puzzled by Halt's alarmed expression.

"James! Duck!" Halt ordered.

James yelped and dropped to the floor in a crouch as a cross bolt flew over the top of him, missing him by a few centimeters.

"What-"

"James! You need to leave now!" Halt commanded, "You should not have come!"

"No! I can't leave you here!" James said, still crouching beside him.

"James-" Halt started to growl, but he was cut off by another voice.

"You should have listened to him, James," A man stood a few meters away from them.

James looked up to see who had spoken. "D-Daniel?" he stuttered.

"Nooo," the man said sarcastically, "It's your father. Of course I'm Daniel, you idiot."

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**Heh. For everyone who actually read the history in the beginning…gasp…Daniel's back. **

**So yup that's chapter 2. Read and Review :)**

**I was thinking…yes, yes I know, it's always a dangerous pass time. Anyways I was thinking. I need a new name for James' horse. Dark just doesn't seem to fit. I'd be happy if all you guys decided on the new name. :) Make sure to R&R! See you in a bit for Chapter 3!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews! They make me super happy! I've gotten more than 10 reviews! Thank you guys for the suggestions on the horse's new name. Out of the names people gave me, I think I like Mika the best. I hope everyone likes the new name of James' horse.**

**My chapter three ended up a little longer than I had planned, but I felt like it was necessary. I hope you like it!**

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_"James-" Halt started to growl, but was cut off by another voice._

_"You should have listened to him, James," A man stood a few meters away from them._

_James looked up to see who had spoken. "D-Daniel?" he stuttered._

_"Nooo," the man said sarcastically, "It's your father. Of course I'm Daniel, you idiot."_

* * *

James was more than a little confused. _Why was Daniel here now? Why did he have Halt? Was he the one who captured him? Does he have the other missing rangers too? _These were the thoughts running through his head. "It – it's you." He managed to get out. James wasn't over the initial shock of seeing his mentor. After all, Daniel had abandoned him years ago.

"Yes, James it's me. How many times do I have to tell you to not ask pointless questions?" Daniel said slightly annoyed.

"Sorry," James answered under his breath still not believing that his former mentor was standing in front of him. He stood up, "Why are you here? Why is Halt here? Why did you leave?"

"Honestly James, can you ask me one question at a time?" Daniel asked with an amused smile. He could see that James had spent way too much time with Halt's former apprentice.

"Why are you here?" James asked, starting with his first question.

"To find you."

James took an involuntary step back. Why was Daniel looking for him? Now truly on his guard he asked, "Why is Halt here?"

"We will get to that later."

James suppressed a sigh. He was getting tired of Daniels answers. They really weren't answering anything. "Why are you looking for me? You left me alone as a kid. Why come back now?"

"I came back to serve my purpose of course! James, my brother is Morgarath." He said this with a happy grin.

"What! What do you - "

Daniel raised a hand cutting him off, "You didn't let me finish, James." He snapped, "I was never loyal to the ranger corps. I was simply a spy to help my brother. My mission now is to avenge my brother's death. His death was the rangers' fault. He was all Michael and I had. Now we are going to kill all of you."

Michael stepped into the clearing next to Daniel, "Very well said, brother. When we capture all of you," he continued darkly, "there will be a huge public execution for all to see. They will see our power and bow down to us."

James studied the two men standing across from him. Michael was obviously the older of the two brothers, and he was obviously the one in charge. _Oh my god. _He thought. _They're serious. They want to kill us all because of one person._

As soon as this fully registered in James' mind he had his bow pulled back and an arrow aimed at Daniel's heart. "What about me, Daniel? Don't I mean anything to you?" Unshed tears blurred his vision, but he didn't need to see to shoot. He knew exactly where his mentor was.

Halt saw something flash in Daniel's eyes. Regret maybe? But as quickly as it appeared, it was gone.

"Sorry Jamie." He used James' pet name and gave an unsympathetic shrug, "You were never more than a distraction to me." Almost as an afterthought he added, "I wouldn't shoot that if I were you," he gestured to James' gray shafted arrow.

"And why not?" He asked not lowering his bow. "Because you won't survive if you do." Seeing James' confused expression he elaborated, "I have you surrounded by men with crossbows all trained directly on you. If you release that arrow, I'll avoid it and they'll shoot, killing you and Halt. Two less rangers won't ruin our plans."

James hesitated. He couldn't risk getting Halt or himself killed; especially not Halt. They needed to get the information to the rest of the corpse.

He nodded and lowered his bow. He didn't have a choice.

"No, James! You can't" Halt knew what James was thinking.

"Sorry Halt. It's the only way we will have a chance." _A chance to escape._ He added to himself, then he addressed Daniel, "Alright. You win Daniel."

Michael and Daniel's smiles never reached their eyes, "Good boy, James."

James hated it when people saw him as a boy. He was capable of so much more.

"Now set down that bow."

James reluctantly did as he was told. He hated being without the comforting feeling of having his weapons in his hands even more.

"Your knives and quiver too, boy, quickly." Michael was getting impatient.

Now being completely defenseless, James was afraid. He wasn't sure that Daniel wouldn't hurt him. His mentor was so different than the person he used to know.

"Oh, I want your cloak too."

This James frowned at, "Why?"

"Because we can't have you slipping away now can we?" Again the smiles never reached their eyes.

"Oh of course not," James hissed, but he didn't want trouble so he took off his cloak and tossed it over his weapons. "There! Happy?"

"Hmmm, there is still one thing missing." He pretended to think for a moment, "Ah yes. Derek! Danny!"

Two men bigger than James came into view. "Sir!"

"Oh enough already! We are friends. You don't need to call me sir."

"Sorry!" Danny replied. James figured he was a big softy. "Anyways, deal with him." Daniel gestured to James.

Realizing what Daniel meant, James took another step back, "That's not fair." He said eyeing the two men warily.

Danny and Derek were advancing on him, "Daniel! Call them off! I said I'd go without a fight!"

"Sorry James. You're a ranger. You know the drill."

James paled. Danny and Derek had grabbed his wrists, and pinned them tightly behind his back. "No...Please Daniel. Please. You know what he did to me." He begged his mentor to remember but Daniel was no longer listening,

"Danny, Derek hurry up! We haven't got all day."

In reality Daniel was well aware of how frightened he had made James. He remembered how James ended up in the ward and became his apprentice. It was because of the man who had held him captive when he was young.

* * *

FLASHBACK!

"James! Where are you?" His father cried. He and his wife were searching the house. Their boys were gone.

Six year old James followed the party of men reluctantly. He was carrying his two year old brother with him. He knew they had to go. He didn't want to see his brother hurt, but that didn't mean he had to like it. They had been taken from their home in the middle of the night.

Brian was too young to understand, but James knew exactly what was going on. These men would separate them from their parents forever. They would never go home again. They would never be free again.

_No! _James thought fiercely. _I won't allow it to happen. If I can't get myself out, I must get Brian away from here._

During the night, they ran. Young James holding Brian's tiny hand, they ran. They took cover in the forest and hid for days, but it was in vain. The bandits caught their trail and followed them. They came upon them when the brothers least expected it. Small but strong, James tried to protect his brother, told him to run, but it was too late. James was caught, but Brian didn't make it. "No!" James' anguished cry broke the silence in the air. He cried as his brother fell and didn't struggle to his feet. He was gone. "No." James sobbed falling to his knees. His brother was gone.

The next year for James was horrible. He was forced to work for his captors. Forced to do their every wish. When he wasn't doing their bidding, his wrists were bound with frayed ropes to ensure that he didn't escape. _They'll make a mistake one day. _James told himself. _I just have to wait for my chance to escape._ Sure enough, that day came. After a year of hard work, James was rewarded with his chance.

The bandits fell into a ranger's trap. The ranger was sandy haired and wasn't very tall. Once he defeated the bandits, he noticed the young dirty boy hiding among the tents.

"C' mon out, son." The ranger said in a soothing voice. "I won't hurt you," He gasped when the thin boy came out. The boy couldn't have been more than six or seven years old. His wrists were bound in front of him and it looked as if he had been beaten on numerous occasions. "Wh-what happened to you?" The ranger asked truly disbelieving what he was seeing. How could anyone be so cruel? This boy in front of him was only a small child.

The ranger sank to his knees. "Please, lad, come here. I can help you." He placed his massive longbow down beside him; put his hands, palms up in a non-threatening gesture, on his legs; and patiently waited for the boy to approach him.

Eventually, he did. James noticed that his eyes were warm and kind. This man wouldn't hurt him. He came forward and allowed the ranger to untie the ropes.

"I'm Crowley." He said holding out his hand.

"James." The boy said shaking the ranger's hand.

"It's nice to meet you, James." Crowley said with a smile, "Now let's get out of here."

"Where will we go?"

"If you want, I can take you to Redmont. You will be safe there."

James nodded. Anywhere was better than here, and he knew he couldn't go home. There would be no home left.

Crowley led James to his horse. He whispered something to his horse before lifting James up into the saddle, and mounting behind him. "This is Cropper. He'll take us to Redmont."

During the long ride, James had plenty of time to think. He wanted to be a ranger. He didn't want anyone to have to go through what he had to. When he voiced his thoughts to Crowley, he ruffled the boy's hair. "We'll see, James. We'll see."

When they reached the castle, James marveled at the size of it. It was huge. "I'm going to live there?" He asked with wide eyes.

"Not just you." Crowley said with a hint of a smile.

James realized he was hiding something. A secret he was dying to know. "What is it Crowley! C'mon tell me!" James was wide eyed and smiling widely now.

"Well, there is this little boy about three. He keeps on calling for a brother named James."

James gasped, "No. You're not serious. Brian's safe? He's alive, but how? I saw him…how?"

"I was there that day, James." Crowley was serious again, "I'm sorry the rangers couldn't help you then. I had to help your brother. He barely made it. By the time he was at least more comfortable, you and the bandits were gone. I'm truly sorry James."

Crowley bowed his head. He had failed this boy. He had left him to the bandits. "Crowley," The boy said, "You saved Brian. That's what matters. Now come on!" He said rather impatiently, almost bouncing in the saddle, "I want to go see my brother!"

Crowley grinned and helped the boy down from Cropper. One day this kid would make a good ranger he realized.

* * *

Back to the present

Daniel knew that because that man used to restrain James, he was now deathly afraid of any kinds of restraints. In fact, you could still see the scars where the rope had cut into his wrists. That's why James had begged Daniel to let him go.

Not bothering to struggle James pleaded one last time, "Please Daniel," he whispered. Daniel couldn't stand to look into his old apprentice's puppy dog eyes filled with fear. He looked away as he answered. "Honestly, James, cooperate and I promise you, you won't get hurt." he paused, "at least for now anyways. I can say that much. Now let's get going," Danny and Derek grabbed Jamie's elbows and forced him forward towards the waiting horses, Halt not far behind.

James, knowing there was no way to change Daniel's mind, allowed them to lead him. _I just have to wait for the right moment. I will get Halt and myself out of this mess._

* * *

**So there is chapter three. Hope you liked it and as always, read and review! See you soon for chapter four.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hullo everyone. I'm so sorry I didn't update sooner. I'll save all of my sorry excuses for not updating, although I did get stuck, and I didn't know what to write. :P Well in any case, I finally updated.**

**Thank you everyone for reviewing! I am always super happy when I get reviews! **

**Ralyssene118: Thanks so much for your review. Also thanks for voicing your question. I'm sorry for the confusion. James and Jamie is one person.**

**rangersapprenticedasti: I wasn't planning on putting Alyss in, however, if you have any ideas on how I could, just P.M. me :)**

**RANGERS ROCK: Don't worry, Halt won't die. I'm not really in to death fics that kill off characters from the original books...I won't promise anything about the OCs though...heh...**

**Everyone else: Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Each one was different and unique and each one made me super happy. So thank you all!**

**So…on to chapter 4! Beware! The horses will talk more than usual, and I plan on using one of the 100 Laws of Anime. We all know and love a little bit of the Stormtrooper effect don't we? ;) It won't be a lot, but still. Enjoy…**

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Chapter 4

The day was still young. The sun could be seen rising slowly from the west. The air was cold, and the two rangers were able to see the cloud that formed from their rapid breathing.

Gilan and Will, leaning low over their horses' necks, rode hard and fast towards the Gathering Grounds. The two rangers had agreed on bringing Abelard along who easily kept up with the other two horses. They were not planning on returning without the missing rangers.

The horses stopped.

"Tug?" Will exclaimed, "Gilan what are they doing?" Astonishment was written clearly all over his face. It wasn't the way of the rangers' horses to stop without being told to, unless of course there was danger. However, neither of the horses had given a warning signal.

"I – I have no idea." Gilan replied. He was just as confused and surprised as his companion.

Ears pricked, the horses turned their heads towards the deep forest to their right that held the secret location of the Gathering Grounds, before setting off in that direction at a slow trot.

"Tug!" Will exclaimed again. "Where are you going?"

_It's Mika. _His horse answered. _She's in the forest, but I can't find James._

Gilan was having a similar conversation with Blaze before understanding dawned on both of the young rangers.

They then urged their horses into a gallop, racing towards the trees, hooves barely making a sound, with Abelard not far behind.

Once they were within a few meters of Mika, James' horse came into view. The four horses neighed their greetings, before Blaze and Mika seemed to have their own conversation, with Tug and Abelard listening intently.

_Mika, where is James? _Blaze asked.

_I don't know._ James' horse replied. _I have been here for a couple of days waiting for him to return._

_Oh. _Blaze knew her master would be upset when he and his friend found out James was gone.

Sadness crept into Mika as she thought about her missing master and friend.

_Mika!_ Abelard snapped James' horse back to the present. He, being the most experienced of the four horses, knew that now was not the time to dwell on what had already happened. They needed to move forward so they could find James. _Was there anything that James told you that would be useful to finding him?_

_Oh! That's right! _Mika answered excitedly. _He said that if you and Tug and Blaze saw me before he came back, that the letter in his saddle bags should give Gilan and Will the right information._

_I see. _Abelard replied.

Finally, Will interrupted the horses' conversation, "So, Tug, will you be so kind as to fill Gilan and myself in with what is going on?"

Gilan turned to Will with an amused smile, "Impatient much, Will?"

Will rolled his eyes, "Oh shut up, Gil. You know that you are just as curious as I am." Will gave his attention back to his horse and missed Gilan's smile that proved Will's point.

_Well,_ Tug said,_ to sum it all up, James left a note for you and Gilan in Mika's saddle bags. _

Will and Gilan slid off of their horses and walked over to where James' horse was. "May I?" asked Gilan. The horse bobbed her head once. Gilan reached into the saddles bags and drew out a note addressed to Will. He slid his thumb underneath the oakleaf seal to break it. He unfolded it, seeing not for the first time, James' messy hand writing, and began to read out loud.

_Will,_

_Obviously, I will not have returned to Mika yet, or you wouldn't be reading this. I am sorry I cannot wait for you to catch up to me. I have caught up to the group whose tracks I found. I have decided that I am going to go on ahead. I know there will be the risk of getting captured if this is the group who took Halt. However, if this is indeed the group that is capturing the rangers, then I cannot lose their trail. I am heading towards a clearing east of this position. Look for one of my arrows; I will leave one behind if I am captured._

_-James_

Refolding the letter, Gilan addressed his friend. "We should leave the horses here, Will. It will be easier to stay concealed,"

The younger ranger nodded. They stayed instinctively in the shadows, ghosting towards the clearing that James had indicated. Finding that they were alone, Will stepped out into the open.

"No one is here, Gil." He said, stating the obvious.

"Obviously." Gilan smirked giving Will a playful shove, making Will stumble. "Oh." His smile faded away. "Will, please tell me that is not what I think it is," Gilan pointed to something that was behind Will.

Will's smile faded as well as he crouched down and pulled the grey shafted arrow out from underneath the pile of golden colored leaves. Standing back up he faced Gilan. "Not James too," he whispered, "Gilan, we have to find them."

Gilan nodded; his face grim with the last traces of his playful attitude gone.

* * *

_Whack! _James winced as the soldier's spear cracked across his shoulders yet again. He knew it wouldn't be the last time. He sighed at the thought. He and Halt were walking in the center of the mounted riders with their wrists tied in front of them. They were being led by Michael and Daniel, the two riders in the lead. James glanced up at the man who had struck him. He was _smiling _at the pain he had caused him. James shook his head slightly in disgust before continuing to watch where he was stepping. Even though he knew it was hopeless, he was trying to avoid stumbling, therefore, trying to avoid another blow from the spear.

James was dreading the days to come. Daniel and Michael were taking the rangers deep into the Mountains of Rain and Night. Speaking of their destination, James could see that they were only an hour or so away from the brothers' massive fortress. He had no idea what was waiting for them when they got there, but he knew for sure that it would not be good. He studied the Mountains of Rain and Night. _They definitely live up to their name_. He thought grimly. _Tall, dark, and wet._

Finally, they reached a point where they could enter their captors' ginormous fortress. As they came to a stop, Daniel and Michael dismounted from their horses.

_Oh._ James noticed for the first time that his mentor still rode his horse from when he was still a ranger. _Of course he still rides him. _He thought. _Daniel and his horse still have the normal relationship that most rangers have with their horses. Pocket was his name…_

James was snapped out of his thoughts by Daniel, as he was jerked forward by his lead rope. James growled quietly under his breath as he stumbled foward. They were being treated like animals. A simple 'come here' would have been fine. When the two rangers were standing directly in front of their captors, their ropes were cut, and four soldiers escorted the prisoners through the doors. James gasped at what he saw. The inside of the brothers' fortress was terrifyingly magnificent and beautiful.

The walls were made of a dark stone that glinted in the low light, giving them a menacing look. They were trimmed with polished gold and precious gems. The ceilings, covered in fractals painted blue and black, were tall. The hallways were long and wide. The worst part was that all the rooms looked nearly identical. Once they passed through the first few hallways, James was hopelessly lost. The only room that appeared to be different was Daniel and Michael's throne room.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, James knew it had been only a few mere minutes, they reached a door that most likely led to the dungeons. The two rangers were shoved through the doorway, and were followed by their escort, who shut the door behind them. Grabbing the rangers by their arms, the guards pulled them to a cell holding three other rangers. None of them spoke until James and Halt were shackled by one wrist to the wall and the soldiers were long gone.

"James. Halt." The sandy haired commandment ranger said nodding to both rangers in turn.

"Hey." James said sullenly. Three more of his friends captured. "How long have you three been here?"

Shayden answered, "Sammy and I have been here at least two months. Crowley showed up about two weeks ago."

"I'm sorry, Shayden," Now that James actually looked, he could see that Shayden, who was twenty-two, the same age as himself, with blond hair and blue eyes; and his first year apprentice, Sammy who was fifteen, with brown hair and green eyes, both looked weary and exhausted like they hadn't slept properly in months. Apparently they hadn't.

"Don't be, James, it's not your fault." his longtime friend said.

"Crowley?" It was the first time Halt had spoken since they had arrived. "Do you know how many other rangers are here?"

He nodded, "At least half of the corpse, Halt. They have at least twenty-five rangers."

"That many?" Halt breathed.

Crowley nodded again. "More and more keep showing up." He paused to let the information sink into the minds of the new arrivals before continuing. "We should get some sleep. We don't know what will be waiting for us in the morning."

* * *

Only the shadowy figures of the four horses and two riders could be seen as they raced through the night, in search of their missing friends.

* * *

The next morning, the five rangers were awakened by the sound of keys clattering in the lock of their cell door. The door swung open on rusty hinges revealing Daniel, Michael, and six guards. Two guards hauled Crowley to his feet, and the remaining four guards and their sword points kept the remaining rangers on the ground. All five rangers glared at their captors. They all trusted each other with their lives, and they knew none would give away any information. They would not break.

"I know you are still the commandment ranger, Crowley." Daniel said in a deadly calm voice. Somehow, that was more frightening than if he had been angry. "Obviously, we know where the Gathering Grounds are, but we don't know when the next gathering is."

"Why do you care?" Crowley spat, "You are no longer one of us."

"It would make our job of capturing the rest of the rangers so much easier." There was a warning laced in Daniel's voice.

Crowley definitely heard it, but he wasn't about to give away information that might be fatal to his fellow rangers. _"Why,_ pray tell, would I give _you_ information that could _kill_ my rangers?" he asked incredulously**.**

"You might regret it if you don't. That's why." The warning was greater this time.

Crowley met his eyes defiantly, not saying a word. These men would _not_ get to the rest of the rangers.

The two guards that had pulled Crowley up off the ground pulled his arms painfully behind him. "Answer me!" Daniel demanded.

"You won't find out." Crowley growled through gritted teeth. "Not from me; not from any of us." The defiant look was still in his eyes.

Realizing that they wouldn't be getting any answers from theses rangers at the moment, Michael interrupted his brother. "Daniel, just let them be for now. We can find a better method later on."

Daniel turned towards his brother running a frustrated hand through his hair. "You're right, Michael." He headed towards the door. "Let the ranger go for now." He ordered his men.

The door was shut and locked, and the five rangers were alone again. Crowley sighed and slid to the ground. "Halt," He began, "We need to figure out what to do soon. He knows too many of the ranger's secrets, and that makes him a dangerous enemy."

"If any of us are given a chance to escape," Halt instructed, "We need to take it. James, Shayden, Sammy, you three are the youngest out of us five. If you see that chance, take it and do not worry about me or Crowley. Understand?"

The three rangers nodded.

* * *

Being able to fall asleep if the opportunity presented its self, the rangers were able to get a solid hour of sleep before the door opened again to reveal five guards.

"Take those two." The leader repeated his given orders to his four companions. Shayden and James were led out of the cell. Before the leader could shut the door, Halt stopped him.

"Wait!" Halt commanded. His voice ringing in the small space, "Where are you taking them?" He was worried for the two young rangers; James especially, since he was a son to Halt.

"Daniel and Michael have ordered these two to be brought before them, ranger." He spat Halt's title with distaste. He shut the door not hearing Halt's protest.

Shayden and James, hands tied behind them, were pushed down the hallway. Standing shoulder to shoulder, the two rangers could whisper without their escort noticing.

"James, there is an entrance with no door down the next hall, in the first room on the left. The throne room is the room after it."

James glanced at this friend. "How would we break away? Shayden, my ropes are really tight. I don't think I can get away."

Shayden asked, "What if you didn't have any ropes to deal with?"

"Well, then I wouldn't have an issue, but unless any of these guards are willing to untie the ropes, which they won't be, then I don't see how either of us would have a chance." James responded miserably.

Shayden smiled mischievously, "They will not need to untie them, because I will do it for them."

"What are you talking about, Shayden? How can you do that unless…" he trailed off realizing what Shayden was up to.

"Look."

James hesitated a step, and fell in line right behind Shayden. Shayden's wrists were free. He was simply holding his hands crossed, and the rope was looped around them to make it look like his hands were still tied. James was nudged back into position by one of the guards.

"You never cease to amaze me, my friend," James said, not bothered that the guards took every opportunity to prod the two rangers with their spears. Shayden flashed him a lopsided grin.

Shayden and James, both rangers no longer bound, took off at a sprint down the hall way that had the open doorway. The boots of the pursuing soldiers sounded extremely loud compared to the leather soled boots the rangers wore. "You two! Stop!" They called.

_Yes._ James laughed silently. _Telling us to stop will definitely work._

Side by side, the young rangers raced across the hard uneven ground. James flinched as an arrow hissed by him barely missing. The men on the top wall of the fortress were shooting at the two escaping prisoners. Hundreds of arrows flew by the rangers just missing them. Finally, the two rangers reached the cover of the trees. It would be impossible for the enemy to be able to aim through the mess of branches and leaves.

"James…hold…on…a sec." Shayden had stopped to catch his breath.

James smiled wryly as he thought about what just happened. "Either we have extremely good luck, or these archers have awful aim." He said.

Shayden laughed, "Probably the latter. We rangers never have very much luck."

James joined in laughing, "Yeah, you're right."

They both fell silent when they heard the shouting coming from the fortress behind them.

"We should get going." James whispered. They began to jog through the trees.

The fortress was fading farther and farther into the distance behind them when Shayden voiced his thoughts. "James, I can't believe we left them. Halt and Crowley! I left my apprentice behind!"

"Hey." James grasped Shayden's shoulder pulling him to a stop. He waited until Shayden looked at him before continuing. "Sammy will be fine. Halt and Crowley will take care of him, okay? We _will_ get them away from Daniel and Michael. We will."

Shayden nodded. "Thanks, James. You're right."

James squeezed Shayden's shoulder before letting go. "I know I am, mate." He replied grinning, "Now let's get out of here."

Shayden nodded again, and they continued their escape from the Mountains of Rain and Night.

* * *

**So that's chapter 4! Please tell me what you guys think. Anything I need to fix? Anything that you especially liked? Read and Review! :) **

**…I decided I like smilies…and exclamation points…lots and lots and lots and lots of them…**

**Thanks everyone and see you all soon for chapter 5!**

**EVERYONE THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! ON SEPTEMBER 28TH OF 2013 EVERYONE NEEDS TO WRITE "BRING BACK MERLIN" ON THEIR ARMS. WE NEED TO SHOW THE WORLD THAT WE STILL LOVE MERLIN AND ARTHUR. THEY NEED TO LIVE AGAIN! BBC SHALL BRING MERLIN BACK!**


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